Chapter 7: Hands up! Children.


It's time to wake up. However, Gilbert kept his eyes firmly shut as he struggled to rouse himself out of the sticky, warm drowsy haze of sleep. But the comforting softness, the warmth of the blanket loosely draped over him overpowered his will, made him sink back into oblivion. It was just so warm in here. He felt like a child again, knowing so long as he was safely wrapped in bed, no monsters Oz used to tease him about could get him. In other words, nothing bad could happen. Hah…It's been a long time since I had such a peaceful sleep, the raven mused, tightening his grip around something soft, warm and huggable-a pillow probably, warmed by his body heat-and pulling it closer to him. Normally his dreams were restless, fragments of his forgotten past coming back to taunt him, the Raven's raspy voice, even clouded memories of the master he had failed to protect. But this time all that remained from his forgotten dream was a sense of peacefulness and comfort that everything would turn out right in the end...

Gilbert couldn't but help twitch his lips into a wry smile, nuzzling deeper into the softness of the pillow. God, it felt good just for a little while to let go of all his worries and concerns. If he tried, he could almost pretend the pillow was Oz's sun-spun hair tickling his face, Oz's silky blond hair that felt so soft and delicate when he ran his fingers through it when Oz was being brattish or when he placed his hand on Oz's forehead to release B-Rabbit...

"Gilllllllllll...gerofffffff-"

The raven could almost imagine he could hear Oz's voice. His thoughts hazed back to their childhood to the times when both of them were children again, and Oz would wake up the raven by prodding him, and demanding Gilbert to hurry up and get up so they could go out and explore with Ada-sama…

"You're squishing meeeeeeee"

Squishing? Wait... The raven's eyes shot open, and realised to his utmost shock, that the thing he had been snuggling for god knows how long was Oz. Oz. Not only was his face nuzzling Oz's neck, but the raven had his arms wrapped tightly about the blond's body, with Oz's body tucked against the raven's much longer frame. The blond was having difficulty breathing, as the raven was literally squeezing him, the way a little girl would squeeze and cuddle her favourite doll. For the sake of his sanity Gilbert couldn't bring himself to admit he had been groping the blond. "OZ?" Performing some wild gangly spider-like movement, Gilbert yanked his arms back and scooted away from the blond, stammering only to fall unglamorously off the couch he had been sleeping on and onto to his butt. What happened last night? Did I do something to Oz? Why is O-Oz-Sharon's bedroom arrangement last night. Damn it to all hells. Gilbert could feel his soul escaping as he remembered the events yesterday.

"Oi Gilllllllll, I didn't think you were that desperate to get some…" Oz huffed out as he sat up right, massaging his sore neck. The night before, after they had retired to their assigned room, the raven had turned into a martyr, grimly taking the couch, insisting that Oz take the bed. It was ridiculous. Gil was acting like being in the same room alone with Oz was dangerous to the blond's innocence, like Oz was some sort of defenceless lamb and Gil was the big bad wolf! So Oz did what any self-respecting master would do-when he had been sure Gil had drifted off to sleep, he wriggled his way from the bed onto the couch, shifting his way around until he got comfortable. Just wait Gil, Oz mused darkly, a kiss flustered you that much? One day I'll do much worse to you, like in those fanfics, whips, chains, toys-but not ropes because ropes are for girls- to tease the life out of you. There's a reason why I top in those fanfics. And as for those few fanfics where Gil is on top…well that's not happening. After all, it was impossible for anyone –hell even the random hobo on the street- not to notice the obvious and sometimes embarrassing crush that the raven had on him. Therefore, it was Oz's duty as an all-caring master to make his servant's life a living hell.

"I'm so sorry Oz!" Oz shot a look at the raven, and wasn't surprised to see the raven on his knees, heavily flustered. Swinging his legs off the couch, Oz walked over to where Gil was and prodded him on the shoulder. "Gilllll, get up already. You look too pathetic, and it's way too tempting to bully you." This surprisingly didn't lift Gil from his overwhelming embarrassment. "Gil." Prod. "Gil, I'll get a cat in here if you don't budge." Prod.

It worked like a charm. Gil got up, albeit looking as though he wished a hole to the Abyss would open up and swallow him. Oz huffed. "Jeez Gil, it's about time you got up!" Pointing to the clock that hung above the doorway, he took hold of the raven's hand, forcefully dragging them to the door. "Gil! It's 8:30am! We're supposed to meet Sharon-chan and the rest at 8!"

As Oz dragged him down Lutwidge's corridors, Gilbert's thoughts were whirling. He was still stuck on as to how exactly Oz had appeared on the couch when he was supposing, but the more pressing matter that had haunted and tormented him as he lay in bed the previous night was the fact that Oz had-

"Oz."

Oz groaned, as the raven stopped walking. After yesterday's events, Oz really wanted to know what Sharon-chan and Break intended to do today. "What is it now Gil? Sharon-chan going to scold us…"

This was how Gil intended the conversation to go: He would ask Oz calmly, without a single hair out of place or sign of embarrassment, why had Oz kissed him yesterday in full view of the stupid rabbit and Elliot's valet. He would be immune to any tricks, puppy-eyes or bullying Oz had up his sleeve, and would not let the matter go until Oz had given him a sufficient answer.

Instead it went like this:

"Oz… yesterday when I agreed to help you and Leo…why did you...kis-" Gil swallowed nervously, instantly forgetting everything he had just planned. What he wouldn't give to smoke a cigarette now. How the hell was he suppose to say it? "Oz you k-kissed…me w-why…" the raven stuttered out, looking at his feet. God, this was embarrassing. What must Oz be thinking? I'm an idiot. Obviously it was just some sort of prank or even a dare set by Break. Yes, that was it. Somehow Break had known of thosefanfics before they had come to Lutwidge Academy, and had persuaded Oz to kiss him for Sharon's enjoyment-

"Pffftttt~"

What? Oz is…laughing?The raven stared aghast at the blond, who was visibly trembling not to laugh. "Fuuu~ The reasons is simple Gil~ First-" Here Oz's smirk grew wider as he held up one finger to the bewildered raven. "I wanted to experiment with something I saw in Sharon-chan's books~ Second, I wanted to humiliate you~ And now that I've found about these fanfics that so many fangirls like to write about us, we should give them a good show, don't you think Gil? They may even be watching now so Gil…"


"My lady, wouldn't it have been better idea to wait for Oz-kun and Gilbert-kun? I didn't even get to finish my cake-"

"Kindly keep quiet Break. It's already almost 9am, Oz-sama and Gilbert-sama must have overslept." Sharon stiffly replied. She, Break, Elliot and Alice-kun (Reim-san had mysteriously disappeared during the night) had been waiting for the raven and the blond to arrive for over an hour. What were they up to? Unless-Sharon's cheeks turned pink as she thought this-Oz-sama and Gilbert-sama stayed up late last night doing strenuous activities-No! I mustn't think of that now. Calm down Sharon Rainsworth, and save it for fanfic material later.

"My lady…" Sharon roused herself out of her thoughts, looking behind to see that Break and the rest had stopped in their tracks. It wasn't Break she focused on though, it was Alice. Alice looked shocked, scared. The reason was obvious. Right ahead of them, Gilbert was slumping against the wall, being obstructed by Oz, who was tugging with his teeth at the raven's ear-piece, before moving down to nibbleGilbert's neck, which was already covered with bitemarks and hickeys. Both of them were so obviously focused on each other, that they were oblivious to their surroundings.

Sharon took it upon herself to attract their attention. This was bad, very bad. As much as she shipped Oz/Gil-and god they did look so cute together, Sharon wouldn't never want Alice who was like her little sister to get hurt.

"Oz-sama…Gilbert-sama…?"

Ah, it's Sharon-chan. Stepping away from Gil, Oz turned to see Sharon, Break, Elliot and Alice. Alice. Oz only had a split second of seeing the look of shock and hurt on Alice's face before Alice spun around and dashed away. "Alice!" Crap! Without another thought, Oz ran after Alice, pushing aside Break and Elliot, running after Alice's rapidly disappearing form. If you had just waited a little longer Alice!

Gilbert couldn't believe it as he watched Oz dash after the brunette. It was then he felt an emotion he rarely felt when it came to Oz–anger. Why had Oz tossed him aside the minute he had seen the stupid rabbit? And it wasn't just this one time either. It was every single time. And this time it had been special. They had been kissing. And yet the minute Oz had seen Alice, he had immediately run after her, leaving Gilbert behind. "Oz!" He was going to get an answer.

"Fu fu fu! ~ That was very entertaining, wasn't it my lady?"

Sharon stared at Break. She hadn't expected Break to be overly concerned for the trio, but to be amused by Alice feeling hurt by Oz and Gilbert? "Break. How in any way can you find this entertaining? Alice must be feeling extremely hurt!" Sharon herself felt torn between sympathy for Alice, and for Oz and Gilbert. What was a fangirl supposed to do? Let alone side with? And for Break to be enjoying their pain…well, obviously he hadn't enough of her harisen.

Flapping his sleeve at her while unwrapping a lollipop wrapper, Break shrugged. "My lady, sooner or later poor little confused Oz-kun will have to choose between Gilbert-kun or Alice-kun. Best to sort it out now, mmm? Oh and-" Break looked at Elliot who was shaking in supressed rage and embarrassment, "Why are you still here Elliot-kun? I'm amazed you haven't snuck off to find your valet. Shoo shoo, you're be as useless as Gilbert-kun if you stay here~"

Elliot glowered at the man. How the hell had he ever respected this man? Well Xerxes Break was the strongest man in Pandora…but Elliot was coming to the realisation that that could only make up so much for being a troublesome and loving to embarrass other people person who ate sweets all day. And Xerxes Break was apparently the mentor of shorty. Really Elliot should have seen it coming. And while Gilbert was more or less useless, he was still a Nightray. Closing his eyes, Elliot took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He noticed Leo sometimes doing it when they were arguing and it seemed to work for his valet. As expected, it had failed miserably. Opening them, he prepared to see a smirking Break and a worried Sharon Rainsworth.

Instead he saw nothing.

Damnit why does everyone keep wandering off? Gah, damn this! He would deal with shorty being a Casanova and playing with his adopted brother's feelings later. Right now, the urge to find Leo and explain was overwhelming. But before that he had to make a quick trip...


"Rufus-sama." Reim murmured , stopping a few feet away from the red-haired man and bowed. He had returned to the Barma household, after receiving Rufus-sama's reply about Reim's latest report. "Rufus-sama…you wanted to see me about the matter of those fanfics?" Please please please tell me Rufus-sama isn't going to be angry…

Rufus snapped closed his harisen. Ever since he had received Reim's report a few hours ago, he had been…thinking. Fu fu fu… "Ah, thou fanfics? 'Twas unique…" And then Rufus had one of his little moments. I wonder whether how many of these fanfics there are with fair Sheryl and I, I am sure we must be one of the most popular pairings on thee website-" Reim made a strangulated sound as hearts popped into existence around his master as Rufus continued talking about Sheryl-sama. I'm going to be driven into a mental asylum between Xerxes and Rufus-sama at this rate… Reim's glasses cracked slightly as Rufus went into further depth of how "Sheryl and I must be thou star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet in thee fanfics, the story our tragic-"

"R-Rufus-sama…I m-must inform you that… from the information I could gather…there was only one fanfic of you…and none of S-Sheryl-sama…" Reim stammered out. He regretted almost instantly as Rufus stopped talking immediately and the hearts-which were a deep ruby red- turned black, broke in half and sailed to the floor.

"Reim…"

"R-Rufus-sama?" Oh shit-

"Reim…"

"Rufus-sama p-please get a hold of yourself-"

"Reim…This is an outrage Reim!" The brunette watched agog, as Rufus, who Reim had always known as a level-headed person except when it came to Sheryl-sama, flipped a table which Reim had put all his finished paperwork as well as some full ink pots. The paperwork…Reim frantically dived to towards the split paperwork while his master raged on. "Thou writers have no taste at all Reim! I —Pandora—to—situation—" Since Reim was scrambling on the floor, salvaging the paperwork and grimacing at the ones which were ink-smudged, he didn't pay much attention to the rest of his master's words. If Reim had, it would have saved a lot of embarrassing moments especially for him later.


The doorbell tinkled as Elliot swiftly entered the shop. The tiny bookshop was sandwiched in between the much larger and boisterous women and men boutique shops. Elliot had found it by chance one day when he had gone into town to buy the latest volume of Holy Knight. Unfortunately his efforts had been thwarted as the normal bookstore where he bought Holy Knight from was sold out. He had been stomping back to Lutwidge Academy when rain suddenly began pouring out of nowhere, and he had quickly stuffed himself into the nearest store for shelter. It really had been a serendipitous discovery.

Focus. Elliot quickly began walking through the store, running his fingers over the covers of the books. Where were they? He didn't have much time left, he needed to be back at Lutwidge.


AN: The title of this chapter comes from Are You Alice? another Alice in Wonderland themed manga that I'm quickly becoming obsessed with. I think it's mainly the White Rabbit's fault. I want to stroke his long fluffy ears so badly... /OAO/

On another note, I've been wanting to write Oz/Gil fluff after the latest chapters of PH.…But Rufus is quite hard to write because of the way he talks. Gah, I know applying 'thee' and 'thou' to his sentences doesn't make his speech in character. QAQ